Monday, December 5, 2011

We just received these testimonials. Wow! Thank you, Rhodes!
Adam and Daniel

"Breath taking. Moving. Powerful. The positively best performance I have seen since moving to Memphis!"

- Rhodes Faculty Member

"HaMapah took my breath away. I could not speak right after the performance. I wanted to sit in silence with my thoughts and feelings."

- Patron of McCoy Theatre

"I have never seen anything like it before. It is a new way to tell a story…for me to hear and see a story!"

- Rhodes Student

"On September 9, 2011, McCoy Theatre had the honor of hosting HaMapah. The incredible performance took us on a journey that was not only moving and powerful, but gave us all a sense of hope. The discussion and workshops that followed opened doors for individuals who believed they had no voice, connected individuals who believed they were different and separate from others, and for a brief moment united all present in the awareness of what we could be—what we could do.

This team is so important right now! Uniting our histories, our stories, our humanity; allowing us the ability to actually connect and discover how to truly give and take. These two artists give me hope!”

Saturday, July 9, 2011

HaMapah/The Map was a huge success in Belgrade @ Dah Theatre’s “Passing the Flame Festival!” In attendance was Mother Mejra, a Bosnian Muslim woman activist, who fought to recover her son and daughter’s bones from a mass grave. She continues to do this honorable and tireless work of finding people’s remains and giving names and faces to victims of genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina. She is an amazing woman, who exudes love (I sat weeping as she told me her story. “Don’t cry,” she said. “I am only crying because your capability to love is so deep,” I replied.) Mother Mejra does not allow fear and hate to encumber her humanity and her ability to find humanity and hope in people. What an inspiration! — Adam McKinney, Co-Director, DNAWORKS

Monday, May 30, 2011

Wonderful friends, subscribers and random readers! It is me again, here to fill you in on some exciting news and mostly, to write about a wonderful experience I had last week. As most of you know, I am a recent MFA Dramatic Writing graduate. What is a writer doing working for DNAWORKS? Well, personally, I was attracted to this company because of their passion for creating opportunities and experiences that shape artists into effective leaders. Dialogue and healing is not just a slogan, they are indeed the key ingredients that are poured into a large amount of artistic creation and mixed with (my favorite ingredient) authentic relationships with their communities. A testament to this was evident in a meeting with Encantado Resort in Santa Fe, NM. Part of the famous Auberge family of resorts, Encantado Resort recently supported DNAWORKS’ work by providing space and lodging for the weekend residency of a composer from Germany and a NYC playwright who are working with Daniel and Adam on a new opera. I will soon post testimonials from their experiences there as part of this blog.

Personally, I am a sucker for any business that supports the arts and especially those that are really invested in what they are supporting. What I mean is that Encantado does not only give their support as a type of transaction. It is a relationship. They truly are interested in supporting artists that can, in turn, offer their guests a unique experience. DNAWORKS is building a relationship with them to be part of this mission.

I was also amazed at how eco-friendly the resort is. I witnessed with my own eyes the effective implementation of everything eco-friendly on their premises. Encantado, which means enchanted in Spanish, is just that. An enchanting platform for people of all disciplines that come together and relax, enjoy, grow, and experience. I look forward to the exciting possibilities of our future collaboration with them. I think DNAWORKS and Encantado are a perfect match for each other. I was happy to be there to witness one experience of what I am sure will be many. I am certain that the guests, friends and supporters of the Auberge Resorts find this sort of magic in every visit. For that, I thank you, Encantado Resort…for that simple kind of magic.

Friday, May 13, 2011

Hello wonderful friends, subscribers and random readers. Welcome to DNAWORKS’ Blog! This space will be used not only to provide you with our exciting updates, but also as a forum of extended creativity and conversation with our readers. Our hope is to share exciting updates with you, gather your thoughts and opinions and engage in conversation. You can always visit our website at www.dnaworks.org to find out about our latest news, however, the blog will provide you with a more in-depth report of our endeavors. So what’s NEW!? You are probably aware of the upcoming Europe Tour. Here’s a little summary:

SERBIA! DNAWORKS is participating in the “Passing the Flame” Theatre and Peace-building conference that is happening in Belgrade, Serbia this June. This is incredibly exciting because it is part of the 20th Anniversary of DAH Theatre. HaMapah/The Map (check out our YouTube Video link on our profile) will perform on June 16th.

ITALIA! Heard of the Spoleto Fringe Festival in Italy? It’s a great festival that features performances from around the world, including, HaMapah/The Map in July.

HUNGARY! For the third year in a row, DNAWORKS will return to Hungary, under the auspices of the US Embassy in Budapest, to lead arts-based programming and leadership training at the Roma and Friends Summer Camp.

On top of the European Tour, Say Word! Voices from Hip Hop Theatre–an anthology edited and with an introduction and commentary by Daniel Banks– launches this very summer. This book collects eight works by contemporary artists Abiola Abrams, Zakiyyah Alexander, Chadwick Boseman, Kristoffer Diaz, Rha Goddess, Antoy Grant, Joe Hernandez-Kolski, Rickerby Hinds, and Ben Snyder.

Also included is a conversation among Hip Hop pioneers Eisa Davis, Danny Hoch, Sarah Jones, and Will Power with moderator Holly Bass that traces the roots of Hip Hop Theater and speculates about its future.

So there it is. Our very first Blog. I am looking forward to the many memorable stories that the DNAWORKS team will share with us about the experiences in Serbia, Italy and Hungary. For now, share this with your friends and leave us some comments, tell us what you’re thinking.

Followers

About DNAWORKS

DNAWORKS is dedicated to futhering artistic expression and dialogue, focusing on issues of identity, culture, class, and heritage. We catalyze performance and action through the arts in the intersecting communities in which we live and work. In our work, art = ritual = healing = community. We believe that this philosophy and practice lead to a more peaceful world.